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The Early Cold War: 1947-1960. Every nation has a seat Five permanent members to the Security Council US, USSR, China, Britain and France Members have Veto Power 50 nations arrive in San Francisco in April 1945 Charter Ratified on August 8, 1945. United Nations. The Creation of the U. N.
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Every nation has a seat Five permanent members to the Security Council US, USSR, China, Britain and France Members have Veto Power 50 nations arrive in San Francisco in April 1945 Charter Ratified on August 8, 1945 United Nations
A political, strategic and ideological struggle between the US and the USSR that spread throughout the world-Europe, Asia, Africa and Latin America. It was a struggle that contained everything short of war. Each side denied the others right to exist. Each side used propaganda against the other. Cold War Characterisitics
Different political systems -US is based on democracy, capitalism and freedom -USSR is based on dictatorship, communism and control Both thought their system was better and distrusted the others intentions Causes of the Cold War
The Ideological Struggle Soviet & Eastern Bloc Nations[“Iron Curtain”] US & the Western Democracies GOAL spread world-wide Communism GOAL “Containment” of Communism & the eventual collapse of the Communist world.[George Kennan] • METHODOLOGIES: • Espionage [KGB vs. CIA] • Arms Race [nuclear escalation] • Ideological Competition for the minds and hearts of Third World peoples • Bi-Polarization of Europe [NATO vs. Warsaw Pact]
The “Iron Curtain” From Stettin in the Balkans, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an iron curtain has descended across the Continent. Behind that line lies the ancient capitals of Central and Eastern Europe.-- Sir Winston Churchill, 1946 Contain Russian expansionism by drawing clear limits as to where the United States would tolerate Russian domination….. -George F. Kennan
Policy of Containment • The U.S. post- W.W.II policy of checking the political and territorial expansion of the U.S.S.R. • Contain the Soviets
In 1947 the British were helping the Greek government fight against communist guerrillas. America promised it would support free countries to help fight communism. Significance? Leader of the free world The U.S. gave Greece & Turkey $400 million in aid. Truman Doctrine
Marshall Plan [1948] • “European Recovery Program.” • Secretary of State, George Marshall • The U. S. should provide aid to all European nations that need it: • This move is not against any country or doctrine, but against hunger, poverty, desperation, and chaos. G. Marshall • 4. $17 billion of US aid to Western Europe extended to Eastern Europe & USSR, [but this was rejected].
Post-War Germany Allies decided to combine three western zones within Germany
Soviets attempted to remove Allies from Berlin by cutting off access One of high tension points of the Cold War; World War III? U.S. instituted a massive airlift; Soviets lifted blockade in 1949 (Berlin Airlift) Berlin Crisis(1948-49)
Berlin Blockade The Airlift (1948-49)
The Arms Race:A “Missile Gap?” • The Soviet Union exploded its first A-bomb in 1949. • Now there were two nuclear superpowers!
North Atlantic Treaty Organization (1949) • United States • Belgium • Britain • Canada • Denmark • France • Iceland • Italy • Luxemburg • Netherlands • Norway • Portugal • 1952: Greece & Turkey • 1955: West Germany • 1983: Spain
Warsaw Pact (1955) • U. S. S. R. • Albania • Bulgaria • Czechoslovakia • East Germany • Hungary • Poland • Rumania
The Republicans Comeback 1946 “Had Enough” The Republican party gained control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives for the first time since 1930.
Domestic Politics Under Truman • Military • Challenge: returning military personnel to civilian life • Solution: Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (GI Bill) • Challenge: reorganization of military • Solution: National Security Act of 1947 a. The three services were brought under the Department of Defense b. CIA- gather intelligence, or information, from abroad
Economy • Challenges: 1. converting from wartime to peacetime economy 2. providing jobs for veterans 3. meeting growing consumer needs 4. controlling inflation of prices Solutions: 1. Employment Act of 1946-maximum employment, production, and purchasing 2. Council of Economic Advisors
Labor • Challenge: ending labor strikes that resulted from lower pay • Solutions: seizure of coal mines and threatened seizure of railroads • The Taft-Hartley Act: The law prohibited closed shop, an arrangement requiring that a person be a union member in order to be hired.
Civil Rights • Challenge: ending racism • Solutions: at Truman’s request, black leaders identify their top priorities- federal antilynching laws, abolition of poll taxes, and creation of a permanent Fair Employment Practice Commission • Result: Congress refuses to pass bills • Truman’s Actions: 1. Truman appoints biracial Committee on Civil Rights • 2. “To Secure These Rights”- Investigative Report • 3. Executive Order- Full integration of the armed forces • Dixiecrats
Dixiecrats • Southern Democrats left the party
Robinson is seen with Branch Rickey signing a contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. Significance: First African American to play in the Major Leagues.
Breaking the Color Barrier April 1947: Major League debut as Dodgers first baseman wearing #42
The Hall of Fame • 1962: Inducted into Hall of Fame • Inducted on first ballot • 124 votes out of 160 ballots (77.5%)
1948 Election Truman vs. Dewey Truman scored an astounding upset.
1948 Election He campaigned against the Republican Congress, which the President repeatedly mocked as the “do-nothing” 80th Congress.
A Fair Deal Replaces the New DealCompulsory health insurance, steady income for farmers, increase in the minimum wage, extended social security, flood and irrigation projects, aid to cities for slum clearance and housing for low income families.
Mao’s Revolution: 1949: The Communists Win in China Chiang Kai-shek vs. Mao Tse-Tung Containment Policy Falters
The Korean War: A “Police Action” (1950-1953) Kim Il-Sung Syngman Rhee “Domino Theory”
Background • Post-WWII – Soviet Union & US divided Korea at the 38th Parallel • Soviet troops occupied N. Korea • US troops occupied S. Korea • Soviets and US established friendly governments in their sectors • South Korea – Syngman Rhee • North Korea – Kim ilSung
The Cause • June 25, 1950 N. Korean soldiers crossed 38th Parallel & attacked S.K.
North Korean People’s Army (NKPA) • Met little resistance • Took Seoul and advanced towards SE port city of Pusan
MacArthur’s Plan • Land troops behind enemy lines at Inchon (Sept. 1950) • Reinforce Pusan • cut-off supply lines • trap NK forces • Results: • NK forces retreated across the 38th Parallel • South Korean & U.N. forces pursued • China warned forces to stop (MacArthur ignored)
The Chinese Strike Back • Crossed border, joined NK forces & attacked S. Korean & U.N. forces • U.N. & S. Korean forces were pushed back into S. Korea
MacArthur Response • MacArthur wanted to expand the war • Use nuclear weapons and/or involve Chinese Nationalists • Criticized Truman’s limited war policy • April 11, 1951 – Truman fired MacArthur • “Old soldiers never die” -MacArthur
Truman Placed General Matthew Ridgway in command • By the end of May 1951, communist forces had been driven out of South Korea. • The war had developed into a stalemate • Peace talks will continue on and off for ~2 years • July 1951-July 1953 • July 27, 1953 – Armistice Signed
The Nation Seeks Internal SecuritySubversion: plots to overthrow the governmentLoyalty Checks: Truman set up the Loyalty Review Board to investigate 3.2 million government employees for evidence of associations with subversive organizations.
Spy Case: Alger Hiss’ Word Vs. Whittaker Chamber’s Testimony Alger Hiss Whittaker Chambers Accused of passing classified documents to the Communist party. Sent to jail
Heightened American’s fears Projected an unknown California congressman named Richard Nixon to national fame Set the stage for Senator Joseph McCarthy's infamous Communist-hunting Marked the creation of a conservative intellectual and political movement that would put Ronald Reagan in the White House Importance
Paranoia in America: Klaus Fuchs validated these fears when he confessed to have given the Russians information on the construction of the bomb. The Rosenbergs were convicted on March 29, 1951, and sentenced to death under Section 2 of the Espionage Act. Julius and Ethel Rosenberg
In imposing the death sentence, Judge Irving Kaufman held the Rosenbergs responsible not only for stealing atomic secrets but also for more than 50,000 deaths in the Korean War. Klaus Fuchs, who spied for many more years than the Rosenbergs, provided far more sensitive nuclear information to the Soviet Union, and was caught, confessed, tried, convicted, and sentenced in the United Kingdom, received 14 years in jail, which was the maximum penalty in that nation for passing military secrets to friendly nations. Controversy
National spotlight shone first on McCarthy in 1950, when he made a speech in Wheeling, W.Va. He declared he had a list of 205 Communists working in the State Department. In the 1950’s, he became the most visible public face during a period of extreme anti-communism tensions. Joseph McCarthy Republican US Senator from Wisconsin
Is characterized by uncontrollable, and unproven accusations, as well as public attacks on the character or patriotism of political opponents McCarthyism Have a care, sir. • No one was able to bash McCarthy without the risk of being called a communist spy or sympathizer, even President Eisenhower remained silent.
Congress established the House of Un-American Activities Committee with the goal to prove that the government under Democratic rule, had tolerated communist sedition. A committee that was made up of the U.S. House of Representatives, was created to investigate treachery and subversive associations. (1938–75) House of Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC)